Identifying fraudulent emails may be easy for tech-minded professionals—but not so obvious for the general public. At the same time, tactics used by cybercriminals to trick users into giving up sensitive financial and personal information are growing in number and sophistication. In cases where education and awareness are not enough, web scraping identifies fraudulent websites that capture sensitive user data, effectively stopping phishers in their tracks.
Identifying the Problem
Millions of new users of varying ages and technical abilities are coming online each year all over the world. While many can easily recognize an online scam, fake email address, or fraudulent website, not everyone has the same skills or experience.
Some people might look at a malicious spam message and laugh before deleting it. Others take those emails very seriously and follow links to professionally produced fraudulent websites that prompt them to input critical financial and personal details.
Known widely as “phishing,” these scams are prevalent and growing in number and severity. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), email wire fraud sent to company employees cost businesses $26 billion since 2016. Besides causing billions in damages, phishing harms the reputation of a company the scammers pretend to be representing, reduces trust between businesses, and compromises system cohesion.
Types of Phishing Threats
Phishing crime varies by method….
